Men's S&D Bests UIC on the Road

CHICAGO, Ill. – The Ball State men's swimming and diving program opened conference action against Missouri Valley Conference foe UIC Friday afternoon, coming out on top 186-112 at the Flames Natatorium. The men claimed wins in 10 out of 16 events, with seven different Cardinals taking individual victories.

Junior Malcolm Slater dominated the two distance freestyle events, placing first in both the 1000 (9:36.66) and 500 (4:37.98).

Freshman George Patterson took his second win of the year in the 200 freestyle, touching the wall with a time of 1:41.64. Patterson also found himself finishing third in the 100 freestyle (46.67), giving Ball State its second 1-2-3 finish of the meet with William Raches placing second (45.67) and Jacob Siewers taking the event with a time of 45.28.

Raches claimed victory in the squad's first 1-2-3 finish of the evening, securing first in the 100 backstroke (51.02), followed by freshman Colin Walrond (52.06) and graduate student Max Kruglov (54.31).

Also earning wins at UIC were Aidan Biddle, who took first in the 100 breastroke (56.06), Ike Ruszkowski, who took first in the 200 backstroke (1:53.53), and freshman Henry Ko, who took first in the 200 butterfly.

Ball State opened and closed the meet with relay victories. Siewers anchored the team of Raches, Biddle and AJ Friend to a win in the 400 medley relay (3:20.74), and anchored the team of Friend, Raches and Benjamin Clarkston to a win in the 200 freestyle relay (1:22.76).

On the boards, Porter Brovont led the Cardinals on the 3M with a third-place finish (322.35), and Zach Shaddy on the 1M (293.99), placing third as well.

After tonight's win over the Flames, the men return home to the Lewellen Aquatic Center Nov. 8, joining the women to host Bellarmine. Events begin at 1 p.m. ET.

BALL STATE INDIVIDUAL RESULTS:
3-Meter Diving | Program Record – 359.25 by Wyatt Blake in 2023
3rd – Porter Brovont – 322.35
4th – Zach Shaddy – 301.88
5th – Emilio Perez – 250.43
7th – Mitchell Mauck – 240.90

400 Medley Relay | Program Record – 3:10.53 by Pheifer, Garberick, Handshoe, Chaye in 2024
1st – William Raches, Aidan Biddle, AJ Friend, Jacob Siewers – 3:20.74
2nd – Ike Ruszkowski, Reeve Ferber, Henry Ko, George Patterson – 3:26.16

1000 Freestyle | Program Record – 9:24.01 by Malcolm Slater in 2025
1st – Malcolm Slater – 9:36.66
2nd – Tommy Brunner – 9:48.34
4th – Seth Blossom – 9:54.45

200 Freestyle | Program Record – 1:37.05 by Jacob Siewers in 2024
1st – George Patterson – 1:41.64
3rd – Jacob Siewers – 1:42.94
4th – Dominick Perkowski – 1:45.10
5th – Nathan Harper – 1:46.15

100 Backstroke | Program Record – 48.32 by Jared Holder in 2021
1st – William Raches – 51.02
2nd – Colin Walrond – 52.06
3rd – Max Kruglov – 54.31
5th – Logan Ayres – 55.21

100 Breaststroke | Program Record – 51.93 by Joey Garberick in 2024
1st – Aidan Biddle – 56.06
3rd – Ike Ruszkowski – 58.51
4th – Reeve Ferber – 59.19

200 Butterfly | Program Record – 1:46.93 by Bryce Handshoe in 2024
1st – Henry Ko – 1:53.59
3rd – Luke Pryor – 1:57.04
5th – Kenny Reed – 2:05.66

50 Freestyle | Program Record – 19.89 by Owen Chaye in 2024
2nd – AJ Friend – 20.72
3rd – Benjamin Clarkston – 21.03
5th – Mason Young – 21.75
6th – Zack Vervlied – 21.77

1-Meter Diving | Program Record – 344.25 by Dave Keener in 1991
3rd – Zach Shaddy – 293.99
4th – Porter Brovont – 286.88
5th – Mitchell Mauck – 258.98
8th – Emilio Perez – 234.83

100 Freestyle | Program Record – 43.58 by Owen Chaye in 2023
1st – Jacob Siewers – 45.28
2nd – William Raches – 45.67
3rd – George Patterson - 46.67
T-4th – Zack Vervlied – 47.01

200 Backstroke | Program Record – 1:47.38 by Ethan Pheifer in 2025
1st – Ike Ruszkowski – 1:53.53
2nd – Max Kruglov – 1:55.67
4th – Nathan Harper – 2:00.30

200 Breaststroke | Program Record – 1:54.78 by Joey Garberick in 2024
3rd – Aidan Biddle – 2:08.17
4th – Reeve Ferber – 2:12.73
5th – Kenny Reed – 2:23.20

500 Freestyle | Program Record – 4:27.61 by Malcolm Slater in 2024
1^st – Malcolm Slater – 4:37.98
3^rd – Tommy Brunner – 4:44.87
4^th – Seth Blossom – 4:46.83
7^th – Dominick Perkowski – 4:55.63

100 Butterfly | Program Record – 47.84 by Bryce Handshoe in 2024
2nd – AJ Friend – 49.29
3rd – Benjamin Clarkston – 51.10
4th – Henry Ko – 51.51
5th – Mason Young – 52.65

200 Individual Medley | Program Record – 1:49.31 by Joe Morris in 2015
2nd – Ike Ruszkowski – 1:57.19
4th – Max Kruglov – 1:58.43
5th – Nathan Harper – 1:58.51
7th – Malcolm Slater – 2:05.02

200 Freestyle Relay | Program Record – 1.18.88 by Chaye, Garberick, Siewers, Pheifer in 2024
1st – AJ Friend, William Raches, Benjamin Clarkston, Jacob Siewers – 1:22.76
3rd – Zack Vervlied, Dominick Perkowski, Mason Young, George Patterson – 1:25.83
5th – Reeve Ferber, Aidan Biddle, Kenny Reed, Seth Blossom – 1:28.33

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Logan Ayres

Aidan Biddle

Seth Blossom

Porter Brovont

Tommy Brunner

Benjamin Clarkston

Reeve Ferber

AJ Friend

Nathan Harper

Henry Ko

Max Kruglov

Mitchell Mauck

George Patterson

Emilio Perez

Dominick Perkowski

Ethan Pheifer

Luke Pryor

William Raches

Kenny Reed

Ike Ruszkowski

Zach Shaddy

Jacob Siewers

Malcolm Slater

Zack Vervlied

Colin Walrond

Mason Young